Friday, May 30, 2014


News Clips For The Day


Shinseki Apologizes as 'Serious Talk' With Obama Looms – NBC
First published May 30th 2014

Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki apologized Friday for what he called "irresponsible and unacceptable" practices at VA health care facilities and announced that he has started the process of firing leadership at the Phoenix facility at the epicenter of the scandal.

'Given the facts I now know, I apologize as the senior leader of the Department of Veterans Affairs," he said at a meeting of the National Coalition of Homeless Veterans in Washington D.C.

"I cannot explain the lack of integrity among some of the leaders of our health care facilities," he said. "This is something I rarely encountered during 38 years in uniform. And so I will not defend it, because it is indefensible, but I can take responsibility for it and I do."

President Barack Obama is set to meet with Shinseki at 10:15 a.m. ET Friday "to receive an update on the situation at the Department of Veterans Affairs."

Obama has so far resisted pressure to oust Shinseki, but his administration’s early statements of support him have faded in recent days.

Obama said in an interview on ABC’s “Live! with Kelly and Michael” that he intends to have a “serious conversation” with Shinseki about his performance .

Attendees gave Shinseki a warm welcome despite mounting calls for his resignation in the wake of revelations of mismanagement of waiting lists at VA facilities. More than 100 lawmakers, including many Democrats facing tough midterm elections, have said that Shinseki, a retired Army general and Vietnam combat veteran, should go.

And on Thursday, White House spokesman Jay Carney declined to directly answer questions about whether the president still has confidence in Shinseki’s ability to lead the VA, saying that Obama believes there “ought to be accountability” after all the facts of the VA scandal are established.





I'm sure there will be full news coverage this morning on Obama and Shinseki's meeting, although if Obama is waiting for “the facts” of the scandal to be established, that's likely to take weeks to months. Personally, I think Shinseki should go, though the head of an organization is rarely really responsible for the misdeeds of his employees. Most of the time they weren't involved in a conspiracy to cover up the matter. If that should happen to be the case, though, I think Shinseki should be jailed rather than merely fired.

The center of the problem at the VA, I am convinced, is the extreme overcrowding of the VA hospitals due to the Baby Boom generation, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and the recent decision – which I understand was Shinseki's – to include agent orange and PTSD patients in the group who will receive care. I agree with that decision, however, as the army should be responsible for massively exposing soldiers to a dangerous chemical, and PTSD is a very clear mental health issue and not a case of malingering.

So the problem is that the VA needs to treat more people than they actually can. One news article recently by Colonel Jack Jacobs on May 15, 2014, NBC, recommends the dismantling of the VA and the absorption of all patients into Medicare and Medicaid, but that would cause the same problem for those programs. Senator McCain recommended simply allowing VA patients to go to private physicians and hospitals instead, with the government paying the bill. That makes more sense to me. It keeps the VA intact and relieves the pressure it is now experiencing.

Update to this story, from the Noon NBC news, Shinseki has tendered his resignation and the president has accepted it. From the CBS story an hour ago, Obama praised Shinseki's work. “'Under his leadership, we have seen more progress on more fronts at the VA and a bigger investment in the VA than just about any other VA secretary," the president said, citing Shinseki's work to reduce homelessness among veterans and help those struggling with post traumatic stress disorder.... The president named Sloan Gibson as acting VA secretary until a permanent successor to Shinseki is confirmed by the Senate. Gibson was previously the deputy secretary of veterans affairs and the president of the United Service Organizations (USO).





Chicago Teacher Killed in Gang Crossfire – NBC

A Chicago teacher was shot as she sat in a south side real estate office, the victim of what police said was a gang dispute outside.

Betty Howard, a teacher at Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy, later died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

"This is an indescribably difficult day," D'Andre Weaver, the school's principal, said in a statement. "Her love for all children, but particularly children with diverse learning needs, was second to none."

Howard's brother, a Chicago police officer, said the crime brings the street violence he sees almost daily even closer to home.

"I feel the pain. I know how other people feel now. We just go to the scene and do what we have to do as a police officer, but now it hitting home and it's such a terrible situation," Orlando Long said.

Family members said Howard was inside the real estate office on the 7900 block of South Evans Avenue at about 5:30 p.m. Thursday when a bullet came through the building and struck her in the head. Two others -- a 58-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman -- suffered graze wounds in the spray of bullets. They were treated at the scene and left to go on their way.

Police said the Chatham neighborhood gunfire appeared to stem from a gang conflict that left innocent people caught in the crossfire.

"I'm talking directly to the people they were shooting at," said community activist Andrew Holmes. "You know who was shooting at you. Whether you was shot today, you know who was shooting at you. What you need to do is pick up that phone [and call police]."

Holmes said some members of the community have already gathered $2,000 to offer a reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of Howard's killer.

Two others were killed and at least eight others wounded in shootings throughout the city on Thursday.





"This is an indescribably difficult day," D'Andre Weaver, the school's principal, said in a statement. "Her love for all children, but particularly children with diverse learning needs, was second to none." Howard's brother, a police officer is quoted in the article, “'I feel the pain. I know how other people feel now. We just go to the scene and do what we have to do as a police officer, but now it hitting home and it's such a terrible situation,' Orlando Long said.”

This is like a shooting from several years ago in a similar city neighborhood, ravaged by gang violence, when a two year old girl was shot and killed while in her bedroom. Just because you are inside a building doesn't mean you are safe. Teachers don't get paid top dollar for their educational attainments and teaching skills, but the community clearly cares about them and values their giving of themselves in so many ways. Teachers are important in young children's lives. I remember most of my school teachers with affection and respect. Hillary Clinton's book “It Takes A Village,” is about the influence of the many adults a kid knows in growing up, and their importance. This beloved teacher has died through no fault of her own, but she will be remembered by many kids, I am sure. May she rest in peace.




Man Charged with Destroying Evidence in Boston Bombing Probe
— Erik Ortiz and Tom Winter
First published May 30th 2014

A Massachusetts man is accused of destroying evidence related to the investigation of the Boston Marathon bombings, federal prosecutors said in an indictment unsealed Friday.

Khairullozhon Matanov, 23, of Quincy, allegedly took a “series of steps to impede the FBI’s investigation” into his relationship with bombing suspects and brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, federal prosecutors said. They claim Matanov knew that he would be questioned by the FBI because they were friends and had been in contact with the brothers, sharing their “philosophical justification for violence.”

Investigators said he deleted information from his computer and also made false statements to the FBI.

Matanov has been charged in connection to the investigation of the twin April 2013 bombings, but not for participating in the attack itself.

According to the indictment, he spoke with the Tsarnaevs after the bombings and took them out for dinner on the day of the blasts.

Matanov faces one count of destroying, altering and falsifying records, documents and tangible objects in a federal investigation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston said in a news release. He also was charged with three counts of making false, fictitious and fraudulent statements in a federal terrorism investigation.

If found guilty, Matanov faces up to 20 years in prison for the destruction of evidence, and eight years for each false statement count. All four counts also carry up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, prosecutors said.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed during a shootout with police after the bombing. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev will stand trial in November, and faces the death penalty.




Khairullozhon Matanov, 23, “faces one count of destroying, altering and falsifying records, documents and tangible objects in a federal investigation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston said in a news release. He also was charged with three counts of making false, fictitious and fraudulent statements in a federal terrorism investigation.” He faces a heavy prison sentence of at least 20 years for the destruction of evidence and 8 years for each false statement count, plus a fine of $250,000.

He almost certainly will be convicted, so he will have time to rethink his participation in the bombing, rather than receiving the “martyrdom” that he was probably hoping for. Al Qaeda and its related organizations are wasting many young lives. I wonder if the average person in Pakistan and similar countries really believes in these “martyrdoms,” or if they just fear the vengeance of al Qaeda. If the national governments were strong enough, these violent groups would be vanquished and the world would be more peaceful.




Snowden Says He No Longer Has Documents He Took From NSA
— Matthew Cole and Erin McClam
First published May 29th 2014

Edward Snowden, in his NBC News exclusive interview with Brian Williams, said that he no longer has the thousands of spying documents he took from the National Security Agency.

“The reality is today, I hold no documents at all,” he said in interview excerpts released Thursday, one day after the extended interview aired in an NBC primetime special.

Snowden told Williams that he wanted the documents out of his hands both because it was a risk to have them in Russia and because it would have gone against his principles to use them for other means.

“Now, I could’ve held on to that and tried to use it to — to threaten the government,” Snowden said. “I could’ve used it to try to sell it or enrich myself. But that would’ve gone against everything that I was trying to do.”

“So the question was, what do I do with it at that point?” he continued. “And the solution that I came up with was to destroy it. To take it out of my hands and entrust it fully to the institutions of the press.”

Snowden said that he did not surrender documents to Russia to win his temporary asylum. He told Williams that he has no connection to the Russian government and has not met Russian President Vladimir Putin, although one analyst questioned that claim.





“So the question was, what do I do with it at that point?” he continued. “And the solution that I came up with was to destroy it. To take it out of my hands and entrust it fully to the institutions of the press.” Snowden appears to be saying two different things in these two sentences. Destroying the information and giving it to the press – which was it? I'll look for another article and see if I can find out. No, there is no other reference to this which says any more or anything different. If he gave everything to the press, however, there will probably be more exposures of information in the news to come. He vows he didn't turn anything over to the Russian government. I tend to believe him. He was very personable and seemingly truthful in the interview.





Al Roker: I start every morning with the 'A-Team' theme song – NBC
By Al Roker
May 30, 2014


As a TODAY anchor and host of The Weather Channel's "Wake Up With Al," Al Roker is already up and at 'em while most of the country is still sleeping. Here, America's favorite weatherman shares his morning routine.

My alarm goes off at 3:05 a.m every morning. I'm not a snoozer — I'm up and out. I might hit the snooze once, but I rarely do.

Then I take care of my "toilette," and while I’m dressing, I’m talking to [NBC meteorologist] Don Tsouhnikas from the TODAY show, going over maps, looking at stuff on the Internet.

I lay all my clothes out the night before; my pocket square — everything — is done the night before. I hang them up in order so that I know, kind of, the rotation. I might mix and match, but I have an idea of when something’s been worn. I get dressed in the bathroom, then head downstairs.

By 4 a.m. I’m downstairs; I’m making my son’s lunch. What goes into it depends on the day — sometimes he likes leftovers. If we had spaghetti and meatballs, his mom will warm that up before he goes to school. 

But they're not awake right now — Pepper (our dog) and I are the only ones up at this point. I let Pepper outside and then I’m on the phone with The Weather Channel for about 20 minutes.

Then I gather everything up, get in the car about 4:30 a.m., and I’m in the office by 4:45 a.m. I haven’t been biking lately, because of my shoulder — I had rotator cuff surgery — but normally, as long as it’s dry outside, I will bike to work.

I check the papers, and check in with [TODAY executive producer] Don Nash to see if anything’s changed. By 5 a.m., I’m in makeup.

See Al Roker channel Mr. T in the 'A-Team' in amazing Halloween costume

By 5:15 or 5:16 a.m., I’m walking across the street to 30 Rock, where I go up to the 6th floor. When I walk across the street, I play the theme song to "The A-Team." Every morning. It gets you jazzed — you recite the opening lines, you go on your way, and boom!

For breakfast, I have two hard boiled eggs. I boil them at the house, and I bring them to work. During the morning, I also snack on almonds. And then I have kombucha [a fermented tea drink]. I have two or three of these in the morning. The other TODAY anchors drink coffee, I drink kombucha.

I started drinking it probably about five years ago — it’s anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and good for digestion. And I feel great! I feel fantastic. I add fresh ginger to the kombucha — I chop it up at home, and I eat the ginger, too. It’s not that hard; the hardest part is that you have this living organism, this thing called a "SCOBY" used for fermenting the tea, and you have to keep making it. So before you know it, you’ve got like 10 gallons of kombucha and you run out of people to give it to.

From 5:30 a.m. til 6:50 a.m., I do "Wake Up With Al" on the Weather Channel.

Then I walk back across, get to the TODAY set, get touched up with makeup, and do the TODAY show.

And there you have it! It’s a pretty set routine — I've been doing this routine for the last five years. Routine is key.

Check out more of TODAY's morning routines:
'Just like my 4-year-old': Willie Geist shares his morning routine
From slippers to stilettos: Tamron Hall's morning routine
'Sometimes I have a necktie crisis': Lester Holt shares his morning routine



Kombucha
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kombucha (Russian: chaynyy grib (чайный гриб), Chinese: chájūn (茶菌), Korean: beoseotcha (버섯차)), is a lightly effervescent fermented drink of sweetened black teathat is used as a functional food. It is produced by fermenting the tea using asymbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast, or "SCOBY". Although kombucha is claimed to have several beneficial effects on health, these claims are not supported by scientific evidence. Drinking kombucha has been linked to serious side effects and deaths, and improper preparation can lead to contamination.[1]

History[edit]

Kombucha originated in Northeast China or Manchuria and later spread to east Russia and from there to the rest of the world.[7] In Russian, the kombucha culture is called chainyj grib чайный гриб (lit. "tea fungus/mushroom"), and the fermented drink is called chainyj grib, grib ("fungus; mushroom"), or chainyj kvas чайный квас ("tea kvass"). Kombucha was highly popular and seen as a health food in China in the 1950s and 1960s. Many families would grow kombucha at home.
It was brought to Russia sometime before 1910 and spread from there to Germany and Europe.[8]

Some promotional kombucha sources suggest the history of this tea-based beverage originated in ancient China or Japan, though no written records support these assumptions (see history of tea in China and history of tea in Japan).

The acidity and mild alcoholic element of kombucha resists contamination by most airborne molds or bacterial spores. It was shown that Kombucha inhibits growth of harmful microorganisms such as E. coli, Sal. enteritidis, Sal. typhimurium, and Sh. Sonnei. [11] As a result, kombucha is relatively easy to maintain as a culture outside of sterile conditions. The bacteria and yeasts in kombucha promote microbial growth for the first six days of fermentation; after that, they steadily decline. Kombucha even has this antimicrobial effect after being heated and at a pH of 7. While this beverage inhibits growth of certain bacteria, it had no effect on the yeasts. This study also found that large proteins and catechins such asEpigallocatechin gallate also contributed to the antimicrobial properties of Kombucha. [12

Another main ingredient found in all fermented foods and beverages areprobiotics which are beneficial bacteria necessary for adequate digestion and absorption of nutrients. They are viable microorganisms that improve gut microflora by secreting enzymes, organic acids, vitamins, and nontoxic anti-bacterial substances once ingested. [18] Probiotics have also been shown to improve metabolism and treat antibiotic associated symptoms such as diarrhea.

Kombucha is typically produced by placing a culture in a sweetened tea, as sugars are necessary for fermentation. Black tea is a popular choice, but green tea, white tea and yerba mate may also be used. Herbal teas or those treated with oils may harm the kombucha culture over time.[30]

Maintaining a correct pH is an important factor in a home brew. Acidic conditions are favorable for the growth of the kombucha culture, and inhibit the growth of molds and bacteria. The pH of the kombucha batch should be between 2.5 and 4.6. A pH of less than 2.5 makes the drink too acidic for normal human consumption, while a pH greater than 4.6 increases the risk of contamination.[34] Use of fresh "starter tea" and/or distilled vinegar can be used to control pH. Some brewers test the pH at the beginning and the end of the brewing cycle to ensure the correct pH is achieved and the brewing cycle is complete.




"See Al Roker channel Mr. T in the 'A-Team' in amazing Halloween costume” For an impressive picture of Roker, go to the NBC website and look up this article, then click on the link here. He dressed up as Mr T and looked really tough, rather than his normal humorous and friendly self. Of course any man in a Mohawk haircut who isn't smiling will look tough. He writes, “When I walk across the street, I play the theme song to "The A-Team." Every morning. It gets you jazzed — you recite the opening lines, you go on your way, and boom!” He really is one of the most energetic people I've ever seen. He's like Robin Williams. He effervesces while sitting still. He needs that much energy to keep up his regularly scheduled activity level. Then there are the days when he goes on the road to a hurricane site or to report other weather news. On one of these weather trips the wind was almost blowing him down. He's not a very large man, though he is bulky. He stood up to it manfully, but looked a little alarmed.

I like him best when he and Willie Geist clown around together. They both are open and utterly without shyness, and the flow of the unscripted dialog leads to some very funny things. I tried to watch the CBS morning show a couple of times and they were stiff, obviously scripted, and just not as entertaining. They're okay, but definitely not my favorite. As you can see, Today, along with a couple of cups of coffee and a cup of yogurt, starts off my day so I can get on the Internet and do this blog, so here I am.





Elon Musk's bid to build NASA's new space taxi
By WILLIAM HARWOOD CBS NEWS May 30, 2014

HAWTHORNE, Calif. -- With a showman's flair for the dramatic, electric car builder and rocket designer Elon Musk unveiled a futuristic space capsule Thursday; a sleek reusable ferry craft that could carry astronauts to theInternational Space Station and bring them home to a pinpoint, rocket-powered landing.

"You'll be able to land anywhere on Earth with the accuracy of a helicopter, which is, I think, something a modern spaceship should be able to do," Musk told a throng of reporters and invited guests.

"It will be capable of carrying seven people, seven astronauts, for several days. It has an improved version of our heat shield and it's all around, I think, really a big leap forward in technology. It really takes things to the next level."

The SpaceX Dragon version 2, or V2, spacecraft is Musk's entry in an ongoing NASA competition to develop a commercial crew capsule to carry U.S. and partner astronauts to and from the space station, ending reliance on Russian Soyuz spacecraft which cost the American space agency more than $70 million per seat under the latest contract.

The SpaceX unveiling came the day after a Soyuz launch that delivered three fresh crew members to the station, including a NASA flight engineer. The mission came amid the most tense standoff between Washington and Moscow in decades, over Russia's actions in Ukraine, subsequent U.S. sanctions and Russian threats to pull out of the station program in 2020 and to stop supplying rocket engines used to help launch American military satellites.

Musk did not mention the Soyuz launch, but the SpaceX unveiling Thursday called renewed attention to NASA's current dependence on Russia for basic space transportation, a situation Musk wants to change with the Dragon V2.

But he's not alone. Musk is competing with aerospace giant Boeing, which is developing its own state-of-the-art capsule known as the CST-100, and Sierra Nevada, which is testing a winged lifting body known as the Dream Chaser that would glide to a runway landing much like NASA's retired space shuttle.

Depending on available funding from Congress, NASA is expected to award one and possibly two contracts late this summer to continue spacecraft development, with the ultimate goal of beginning NASA-sanctioned flights to the station around 2017.

With the dramatic unveiling of the Dragon V2 on Thursday, Musk took center stage, showing off a spacecraft he described as a significant step forward and saying he plans to build it whether SpaceX wins the NASA contract or not. Uncrewed test flights could begin as early as late 2015, he said, with the first piloted test flight anticipated by mid-2016.

The Dragon version 2 builds on the success of SpaceX's Dragon cargo ships, which are already delivering supplies and equipment to the space station under a $1.6 billion contract with NASA. The cargo ships are the first commercially developed spacecraft to visit the station and the only U.S.-built vehicle now flying that is capable of bringing cargo back to Earth from orbit.

The Dragon version 2, with an improved heat shield, a propulsive landing system and state-of-the-art computer control, is a major upgrade.

"Going from Dragon version 1, we wanted to take a big step in technology and really create something that was a step change in spacecraft technology," Musk said.

Dressed in casual attire, Musk unveiled the version 2 spacecraft for invited reporters and guests at SpaceX's Hawthorne, Calif., factory, dropping a curtain after a recorded countdown to reveal the black-and-white capsule, prompting enthusiastic cheers and applause.

He said the Dragon V2 will be capable of flying automated or manual approaches to the space station, gliding for docking without needing any assistance from the lab's robot arm, which he described as "a significant upgrade."

And while it is equipped with a rocket-powered landing system, the capsule retains the parachutes used by the uncrewed Dragon V1 cargo ship.

"When it reaches a particular altitude just before landing, it will test the engines, verify that if all the engines are working it will then proceed to a propulsive landing," Musk said. "If there's any anomaly detected with the engines or the propulsion system, it will then deploy the parachutes to ensure a safe landing even in the event that the propulsion system is not working."

He said the capsule could safely land even if two of its SuperDraco engines failed. The engines, designed and built by SpaceX, generate 16,000 pounds of thrust and work in pairs. If one fails, Musk said, the other can increase power to compensate. He said the engines, which also would provide emergency launch abort power, will be built using 3D printing, a first for a production spacecraft.

Being able to land with rocket power is important, Musk said, because "it enables rapid reusability of the spacecraft. You can just reload propellants and fly again."

"This is extremely important for revolutionizing access to space," he said. "As long as we continue to throw away rockets and spacecraft we'll never have true access to space. It'll always be incredibly expensive. If aircraft were thrown away with each flight, nobody would be able to fly."

Showing off the interior of the spacecraft, Musk opened the hatch and climbed in, generating yet another round of cheers from an appreciative crowd. Sitting in the contoured pilot's seat, he pulled down a futuristic video panel where software-generated displays were seen along with a bank of physical controls.

"So there you have it," he concluded, "Dragon version 2, capable of carrying up to seven astronauts, propulsively landing almost anywhere in the world and something that's designed to be fully reusable, so you can fly this multiple times, allowing for potential dramatic reductions in the cost of access to space."

The SpaceX capsule would be launched atop the company's Falcon 9 rocket. Boeing and Sierra Nevada plan to use Atlas 5 rockets built by United Launch Alliance. The Atlas 5 first stage uses the Russian-built RD-180 engine that a Russian deputy prime minister has threatened to restrict.

The threatened ban would affect U.S. military launches and apparently would not apply to civilian missions like piloted NASA flights to the space station.

Musk did not mention launch vehicles during his presentation Thursday, but he has played a major role in the current debate over the RD-180, questioning its use in a lawsuit SpaceX filed challenging a sole-source Air Force contract for more than two dozen United Launch Alliance rockets.

A Pentagon panel has reportedly recommended building a U.S. replacement for the RD-180 and lawmakers are considering funding to begin development. How all that might factor into NASA's crew ferry craft competition remains to be seen.




“Electric car builder and rocket designer Elon Musk unveiled a futuristic space capsule Thursday; a sleek reusable ferry craft that could carry astronauts to theInternational Space Station and bring them home to a pinpoint, rocket-powered landing.” That should solve our international relations problem. Putin threatened to stop bringing our astronauts to and from the space station recently. Of course, the V2 isn't developed yet. “SpaceX Dragon version 2, or V2, spacecraft is Musk's entry in an ongoing NASA competition to develop a commercial crew capsule,” is capable of carrying 7 astronauts to the Space Station and back, landing with precision anywhere the scientists want it to.

Boeing and Sierra Nevada are competing with Musk, entering their own futuristic machines. NASA is expected to select one, or possibly two, of the entries, hoping to have them flying by in 2017. Musk says that he plans to develop his craft whether NASA pays for it or not, developing it himself if necessary, and hopes to have it in operation by 2016. An earlier model by Musk is already under contract to NASA, flying cargo in and out of the Space Station.

Musk's SpaceX capsule is preferable over its two competitors because it does not use the Russian rocket RD-180 as they do. The RD-180 is the subject of a law suit filed by Musk over a “sole source Air Force contract” for some two dozen of the Russian rockets. The Pentagon recommends building our own replacement for the RD-180, and the legislature is considering funding for it. It is clear to me after this conflict over the continued control of Ukraine by Russia, that they are trying to become dominant over Europe again. The Berlin Wall is not something we should forget. We don't need a war, but we do need to proceed with a sufficient amount of assertiveness in dealing with Russia. They aren't capable of being friends to any nation.